Monday, 5/15/23: Talking about advice for the college grad

Happy Monday!

And Happy Mother’s Day to all moms and mom figures out there! Hope everyone was able to celebrate, honor or connect with a mom yesterday. 

It’s also a new week, which means it’s time for your next Monday motivation newsletter. Read on below for some steps to a happier Monday, a short story and a roundup of positive thoughts to get your week started.

Three Steps to a Happier Monday

Each newsletter starts with three prompts to inspire gratitude and simple intention setting. Take a moment and jot down answers to these three questions. To give an example, I share my answers below.  

Step 1: What are three things I appreciated from the weekend? 

Step 2: What is one thing I can be excited about today?

Step 3: What is my intention for this week? 

GRATITUDE: I’m thankful for a no-plans weekend, a great workout on Saturday and chatting with my mom on the phone Sunday.  

TODAY: I’m most excited to pick up some books from the library that are on hold for me.

INTENTION: My intention this week is to start each workday with a warm-up ritual and end with a shut-down ritual.

Okay, your turn! And if you want to share your three steps, I am all ears. 🙂

Meaningful Musings: Advice for the College Grad

The weekend before last I was at my brother Ryan’s college graduation. It was so fun and so great to be with family. And, as big, monumental occasions usually do, it prompted some introspection.

As I sat in the chilly arena and waited for Ryan to walk across the stage, I was transported back to my college graduation. Seven years ago, I was the one in a cap and gown at a graduation ceremony (and unfortunately, one that took place on a rainy football field and not an indoor arena).

I remember the nervous excitement buzzing in the air and how alive I felt. Two days prior, I had received and accepted an offer for a 12-week internship in CHICAGO (three days prior, I had cried in my favorite bar to my two best friends about not knowing what I was doing after college… but that’s a story for another time). I can’t remember exactly what I thought about during the ceremony, but I’m sure it was something along the lines of… wow, this is happening…. I am graduating… moving to Chicago… getting my life started!

For the first time, I couldn’t see around the corner. I didn’t know what to expect next. My friends were scattering across different paths, and I had no idea what life would look like a year from now.  

Snapping back to Ryan’s graduation, I thought about what I knew now that I didn’t know then and how much you learn those first couple years post-college. I thought about what I wish I could go back and tell my 22-year-old-nervous-excited self.

I came up with a list of five things. Some of which are things I learned along the way, some are things I’d wished I learned earlier, and some are things I’m still working on. 

It’s graduation season, so I thought I would share. Here’s what I would pass along to a college grad –

Five Pieces of Advice for a College Grad

1) Embrace the magic of being 22. Here’s the thing – and by the way, I have no substantial research to back this up – I believe 22 is a very unique age. You have this interesting mix of more perspective than you had at say, 18, but not enough  to make you too realistic or jaded. There’s a magical “it will all work out” disposition among 22-year-olds. Sometimes, I’ll get asked “how did you do it?” in regard to moving away from home to Chicago, where I knew only a handful of people. I never know how to answer, but one thing I know for sure is that I would be so less likely to do something similar today. I can’t imagine! I think the fact that I was 22 and fresh out of college plays a large role in my jump to a new city. So, if I ever meet a college grad who has something on their heart that scares them, I always tell them to just do it. Embrace the magic of 22 and take the leap. Move to that city for that job offer, move back home to start that program you can’t stop thinking about, take that internship and do something on the side to make ends meet. Not to say things are easier at 22, but I really believe it is a magical age. And I’m really glad I took my leap when I did. 

2) This is the time to become an expert in yourself. I mention above that at 22, for the first time, I couldn’t see around the corner. For the first time – in my memory – I wasn’t following a semester schedule or prescribing to a syllabus. And neither were my friends. I remember trying to make sense of the fact that I had some friends still pursuing school, some friends starting incredible career opportunities, some friends getting even getting engaged! It was disorientating in the sense of trying to answer the question of… wait, what am I supposed to be doing? Without the structure of school and friends always around, who was I? What did I like to do? How did I want to spend my time? I learned more about myself that first year after college than any other year I can remember, and it was equal parts hard and exciting. Taking an interest in yourself and what lights you up is a worthwhile journey.

3) Work to find joy in the ordinary. You know how this story goes. I was having a great day… enjoying my internship… feeling content in my teeny tiny studio apartment. And then I opened a social media app. Similar to the above question of what should I be doing?, it’s also hard not to compare and ask, why am I not doing THAT? I cannot find the source of this (so take it with a grain of salt), but I remember reading once that the memories we make from ages ~18-25 are some of our deepest. IF this is true, then I think there’s two ways to look at it. Either, you can wish that you were doing the most amazing things during this time. OR, you can see this as an opportunity to be even more intentional about how you spend your time. How do you want to start and end your day? What do you make yourself for dinner? What’s your commute to work like? Do you have any coveted routines or rituals, like the simple pleasure of buying yourself coffee on Fridays? What do you want to remember? I eventually got there, but I wish someone had given me permission at 22 to not worry about doing “the most” and to instead pay attention to the small things. Work to craft a routine that you love.  

4) Recognize that Thursday afternoon is the middle of the week. Okay, this is something that I’ve just learned this year, but it’s a mindset I wish I’d adopted earlier because it is a gamechanger. Especially when you are accustomed to a college schedule, working 5 days a week/8 hours a day can make it feel like all you do is work (this rings TRUE). But recognizing that Thursday at noon is the true middle of the week (not Wednesday) can help. Thinking about how you want to spend your time Thursday after work, Friday after work, and all day Saturday and Sunday helps balance your time perception. Yes, you are working the majority of the week, but there is time to be mindful of outside of work too. 

5) Become familiar with your finances. I love the saying, “The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now.” This is what I think of when I think about finances! Listen, it is intimating to get started. But it can also be empowering! Tracking your expenses, understanding your spending habits, starting to save money are important skills to cultivate. There isn’t a doubt in my mind – if I hadn’t taken the frightening first step of understanding my finances, I would not have been able to sustain myself in Chicago, especially since I interned at an hourly rate for the first nine months. It’s why I’m passionate about budgeting, but there are many other qualified professionals out there to learn from. For example, a few of my favorite finance-related books are this, this and this. Just taking the first step of getting familiar with your finances pays off (pun intended) immensely. You don’t have to have everything figured out, but awareness is a powerful first step. 

Wow, that was fun to think about! What do you think? Anything you would add? Research shows giving advice can provide a boost, so if you are looking for a charge this morning, think about what you would tell a recent college grad. I’d love to know what you think – email me or submit anonymously here if you are so inclined for possible inclusion in an upcoming newsletter. 

On My Monday Radar

Sometimes we just aren’t ready to jump into our Monday to-do list right away. In case you want some content to procrastinate with, here is a roundup of a few positive things on my radar:  

• My #1 book recommendation for college grads or any twentysomethings. So good that I’ve read it twice and gifted it countless times. 
• Glimmers!!! Loved this idea and this word. Definitely looking for glimmers this week.  
• I put away some winter clothes and brought out some of my summer pieces this weekend. One of the things I’m most excited to wear? These sandals. So cute and so comfortable. They are backordered right now, but should be available in July!
• Liked this post: If you can’t work, plan. Going to remember that this week.

Picture of the Week

That’s all for today! I hope you found something in today’s newsletter that sparked motivation, made you smile or inspired a positive Monday thought. Don’t underestimate the power of starting small… a fulfilling week starts with just one fulfilling day. You’ve got this! 

Let’s make it a great Monday!
Megan